ve a
king over them; they come to the olive-tree, and say, Be thou king over
us: the olive saith, I will not leave my fatness to be king: they came
to the fig-tree, and said, Be thou our king; the fig-tree saith, I will
not leave my sweetness to be king: they come likewise to the vine, and
say, Be thou our king; the vine saith, I will not leave my strength to
be king: they come to the bramble and said, Be thou our king; then said
the bramble to the trees, If indeed ye anoint me king over you, then
come and put your trust under my shadow; and if not, let fire come
forth of the bramble, and devour the tall cedars of Lebanon." The
olive-trees of the ministry would not leave the fatness of God's grace,
wherewith they were endued, to rule over the kirk: the fig-trees of the
ministry would not leave the sweet fruits of their ministry, to bear
rule in the kirk: the vines of the ministry would not leave the strong
consolations of God, whereby many souls were comforted, to bear rule in
the kirk: yet the brambles have taken this, and ye helped to exalt them,
upon condition to trust under their shadow; and if fire hath not come
forth from these brambles upon the tall cedars of this land, I leave to
your own thoughts to judge. Always this is the mountain which ye see all
reared up this day, and standing in the way of our reformation.

2. The second thing in this great mountain is this, It is a mountain
reproved: "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel." When he
saith of Zerubbabel, it is not only meant of Zerubbabel, but of the rest
of God's people. There, Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the rest of God's people
obeyed the voice of the Lord; and in the 14th verse, all these are said
to work in the house of the Lord: so under Zerubbabel, all the rest of
the people are comprehended; even so in this work of ours, all that are
joined to this work, for the building of this work, are to be accounted
workers; and for them also is this mountain reproved, "Who art thou, O
great mountain?" Who art thou, who will impede this work, or shall be
able to impede it, seeing God will have it forward. It is impossible for
thee to impede it, in these three respects: 1. In respect of the work
itself. 2. In respect of the workers. 3. In respect of the impeders.

1. In respect of the work itself. It is God's work; for the house is
His, and He is in it. The Lord saith, "Be thou strong, Zerubbabel, and
Joshua, and the remnant of the people and work, for